Vets hope to return bald eagles to wild in coming weeks

Veterinarians taking care of two injured bald eagles say they hope to return them to the wild in the next couple of weeks.

We checked in on the eagles at the American Eagle Foundation in Pigeon Forge on Thursday. The first was injured in March in Hamilton County. The second was found earlier this month in Monroe County. One of the eagles is flying again.

Caretakers say they don't have an exact timeline on when they'll release the eagles, but they're urging anyone who has any information on the suspects to turn them in.

"Everybody knows it's our national bird and a protected species. This is our symbol of freedom, our symbol of independence. They've been with us for over 230 years. Everybody should be looking out to protect these birds. They're very precious to our country," said Al Cecere.

TWRA is offering a $22,000 reward for anyone with information on the case. Wildlife officials say they don't believe the cases are connected.